| The frequency of news articles about politicians | | | | regarding the reclassification of e cigarettes as an |
| who are mounting an attack for their city or | | | | alternative to conventional tobacco cigarettes. |
| state against the e cigarette are on the rise. The | | | | According to the document, "E-cigarettes would |
| claim plays like a broken record that has been | | | | be a major part of the proposed harm reduction |
| repeated over and over again to the media by | | | | initiative, because they appear to satisfy the |
| opponents; that e-cigarettes are not approved by | | | | nicotine addiction and the habituation to the |
| the FDA, we don't know what's in them and they | | | | cigarette-handling ritual more effectively than any |
| are marketed to children. The facts are that | | | | other product now on the market. For many |
| tobacco cigarettes aren't approved by the FDA | | | | current smokers, e-cigarettes may be the only |
| either and are responsible for over 400,000 | | | | low risk nicotine delivery product acceptable as a |
| deaths in America each year. | | | | substitute for conventional cigarettes. Cost and |
| Yet not one politician is bringing forth a bill that | | | | other considerations will limit the attractiveness of |
| would ban the sale of cigarettes in their district. | | | | e-cigarettes to teens. Enforcement of FDA |
| With several years of history behind them, | | | | restrictions on marketing to minors and health |
| electronic cigarettes have caused no deaths and | | | | education programming should enable us to secure |
| the FDA has not made public any adverse effects | | | | health benefits e-cigarettes can offer without |
| on humans. The contents common to e-cigarettes | | | | increasing initiation of nicotine use by teens." |
| are on the FDA's GRAS List, Generally | | | | So why are e-cigarettes in the bull's-eye of |
| Recognized As Safe by a consensus of scientific | | | | politicians when public health organizations are |
| opinion. Several laboratory reports have been | | | | declaring them lifesavers? Either the politicians |
| published on the safety of e-cigarettes but have | | | | don't understand the ramifications of the legislation |
| been ignored by the politicians seeking to ban | | | | they seek to pass or they have a total disregard |
| them. Despite all the negative claims, the | | | | for the health of the American people. Allowing |
| opponents have been unable to substantiate any | | | | cancer causing tobacco cigarettes to remain on |
| claim that e-cigarettes are being marketed to | | | | the market while opposing and or banning |
| children or that they are a threat to the public | | | | e-cigarette sales as a viable alternative is the |
| health. | | | | equivalent to Genocide. Smoking touches almost |
| In a petition to the Food and Drug Administration | | | | every family in this country. Playing political games |
| by the American Association of Public Health | | | | with millions of lives will play out in the court of |
| Physicians (AAPHP), has submitted the most | | | | public opinion and surely unseat some shady |
| comprehensive findings and recommendations | | | | politicians in November. |